Mixed Messages

Our PTSO has been really great to us--they leave little goodies in our boxes from time to time, they come up with all kinds of FUN fundraisers for the kids, they organize and decorate our school dances, they coordinate the annual Jog-a-Thon that raises thousands of dollars for our classrooms, and the list goes on. The latest is that for Teacher Appreciation Week (I think in May?), they always leave little gifts in the teachers' boxes every day and on the actual Teacher Appreciation Day, they provide a catered lunch, often from places like Outback or a local Mexican restaurant. They aim to please. Most of the time.

Case in point. They run a little store during all 3 lunches everyday, to raise some extra money. The store has fun pencils and erasers, calculators, bookmarks, etc. Those are great and fun for all ages. What I don't like is the rest of the merchandise: bouncy balls, sticky hands (those irritating little hands that stick to crap when you throw them) and Whoopee Cushions. Who's idea was this? I guess Friday during 7th grade lunch, there were bouncy balls ricocheting all over Commons. The teachers on duty were losing their minds. And the Whoopee Cushions make me crazy. I know they're funny and reminiscent of our younger days, but they are a pain in a teacher's behind. I took 2 away during 8th grade lunch. I began talking with a couple of teachers after lunch, and I mentioned how I didn't think it was right that PTSO sold crap like that. It's just setting the kids up to get in trouble. One of the other teachers approached a couple of the PTSO ladies later and one of their responses was, "Everything we sell has been approved by administration, and the kids should be allowed to have a little fun!" I like fun. Fun is good. I am not against kids having fun. I am, however, against watching little bouncy balls fly across my classroom, hearing Whoopee Cushions farting in kids's seats and finding those stupid sticky hands everywhere.

The PTSO is helpful and well appreciated by the entire school staff, I am sure. They just don't see what we see.